CATALINA 470

ISLANDCHIEF60 · #1 (**permalink**) 03-10-2005

We are considering the purchace of a 2005 470 for cicumnavigation and as a live aboard for six years before we depart for tropical climates. We are considering the following options. Bow thruster for tight marinas, furling boom, washer and dryer, hard dodger, wing keel and max prop.The boat will also be out fitted with water maker, auto pilot, radar nav system and I-scan forward looking sonar and all the rest of the garb. that goes on a cruising boat. Dose any one have any first hand knowlege with this boat and perhaps any ruff weather travels with their boat?

aflanigan · #2 (**permalink**) 03-10-2005

Chief,

It''s hard to think of any more diametrically opposed missions for a sailboat than circumnavigation vs. living aboard for six years. Kind of like looking for a vehicle in Australia that you could live in for 6 years then fire up and take off across the outback in. Somewhere or another, you''re going to comprimise on something.

I think it might be a good idea to choose one boat for the liveaboard and another for the circumnavigation. That way you can find a vessel appropriate to each mission. Maybe find a houseboat to live on and trade it for a seaworthy cruiser when you''re ready to cross some oceans. Worth considering if you''ve got the money, anyhow.

Allen Flanigan
Alexandria, VA

WHOOSH · #3 (**permalink**) 03-10-2005

Chief, you will struggle to find many 470 owners who''ve worked their boats hard or crossed an ocean, I suspect. It''s just not likely to attract that kind of crowd.
- unsupported rudder
- one seaberth (maybe) on a 47'' boat?
- ''open interior'' volume maximized at the expense of storage
- a sail plan that needs modifying for offshore work
- is the entire monocoque structure really engineered for the last half of your planned Circle?

You seem to have given in-depth thought to ''systems'' and probably, like the rest of us, are looking forward to customizing your boat to suit your own needs & preferences. But it''s a bit like building the dream house on a slippery slope to begin the process with a vessel intended (designed, engineered & outfitted) for other, less demanding uses.

BTW the prior post is dead-on about the challenge of finding a boat to be suitable as both a condo and a world cruiser. OTOH I''m sympathetic to the value of incrementally adding the systems and building the sailing & offshore learning curve with a given boat before taking off, and have done so twice while living aboard. It''s certainly do-able but your biggest ''threat'' could be to incrementally modify/equip the boat while in condo mode, and find your priorities were out of whack for your deep cruising needs...no matter how strong the initial logic seemed to be at the time.

Good luck on the mulling...

Jack

aflanigan · #4 (**permalink**) 03-11-2005

Chief,

Let me add that I suspect there are probably lots of people who dream of living on a boat that is capable, on a whim, of untying/weighing anchor and sailing around the world. Joshua Slocum and many others have tapped into this irresistible romanticism. Bully for you if this is your dream, too. I hope you can make it a reality! Sometimes life is a lot more fun if you eschew practicality (at least when it comes to spacious and comfortable living arrangements).

Allen F.

ISLANDCHIEF60 · #5 (**permalink**) 03-11-2005

Thanks Guys. I know that there will be some modification to be made on this boat or any other boat out there for that matter. I know that there isn`t one perfect boat. However acouple of mods that I would make would be to make the aft bulk head water tight in the event something did happen to the rudder post and would cause a leak. Is there anything in particular that would steer you completly away from this boat? Most everything that I`ve been reading are show that the new boats of today are being built stronger and safer than ever before. Sure there are some boats stronger than others but for the most part they all have the same lay-up proccess. there is a couple that are currently circumnavigating with there 470 and are in Aukland NZ. They love there boat. So I would welcome some actual data on the boat if any one has any.
Thanks again
Chuck

BarryL · #6 (**permalink**) 03-16-2005

Hello,

Quick Question:

When you are doing a circumnavigation, aren''t you living on the boat?

How can ''circumnavigation'' and ''live aboard'' be opposed?

RichH · #7 (**permalink**) 03-16-2005

During a circumnavigation or a passage the boat is ''moving''; a ''liveaboard'' is something like a Winnebago parked in a flooded parking lot. BIG difference. ;-)

Denr · #8 (**permalink**) 03-17-2005

you mean you can''t anchor in the middle of the Indiam Ocean for a good nights sleep and hook up to the shore power station on the sea floor?

ISLANDCHIEF60 · #9 (**permalink**) 03-17-2005

Hey Barry. We`ll take off in six years after my retirement from the Air Force. I think that after 20 year of serving Uncle Sam can pay for my cruising. We are currently living on a 2004 41 Hunter. Great boat but a bit too small for us as a livaboard / cruiser. I think that liveaboard and circumnavigation are the same thing. If your circumnavigating your living on it and if your living on it your circumnavigating. Your just cicunavigating the local area (Gunkholing!!)until your ready for a longer adventure.
Chuck